Augusta, GA…In an update to the meeting held earlier during the week with Paine College faculty and staff, President George C. Bradley announced that the College community will take ten furlough days during the summer. Starting May 30th, staff will take one furlough day, and four days in June and in July, with one remaining furlough day in August. The Paine College Police Department, hourly workers and maintenance staff will not be furloughed. Faculty will take furlough days later in the fall. This comes on the heels of the College’s announcement that tuition will remain flat for the second consecutive year.

Dr. Bradley emphasized that the furlough will affect members of the administrative council, faculty, staff and himself.

Furloughs are a common practice that institutions have used across the CSRA and the nation to strengthen their organizations and to ensure that students would continue to receive uninterrupted quality offerings and services.

During his address to faculty and staff on May 21st, Dr. Bradley reviewed the federal government’s cuts in the areas of Parent Plus Loans and Pell Grants and how the reductions impacted Paine College and institutions throughout Georgia and the nation. He also talked about how the cuts impacted low to medium-income families and their abilities to pay college tuition and fees.

The recommendation to implement the furlough was made by the Administrative Council. “It is important that we continue to offer access to a quality education to all students as the College works toward empowering these students to serve their respective communities, the nation and the world,” said Dr. Bradley.

“We are sensitive to the needs of low to moderate-income students during these tough economic times,” commented Dr. Bradley. “The College will not raise tuition but will tighten belts in other areas.”

Just last week, Dr. Michael Lomax, CEO and President of the UNCF, addressed the U.S. Senate about the challenges facing HBCUs and majority institutions across the nation due to changes in Pell Grants and Parent Plus Loans. Dr. Lomax stated that the changes in federal guidelines for the Parent Plus Loans affected more than 400,000 students nationwide initially and 28,000 students at HBCUs. HBCUs experienced a significant reduction in the number of students whose parents were able to obtain Parent Plus Loans, thus, many of the HBCUs suffered a $155 million or 35 percent reduction in the Parent Plus Loan revenue during the 2012-2013 academic year.

During the Bush Administration, the federal government changed the guidelines for Work Study refunds that drastically impacted how students repaid outstanding balances. In other words, students no longer were mandated to utilize refunds to satisfy outstanding tuition and fees to the College.

In the coming months, Paine College officials will review the impact of these federal cuts and changes in policies with members of Congress.

For more information, please contact the Office of Communications and Marketing at 706.396.7591, or via email: Tjwilliams@paine.edu.